Best of the Boys
by Goku's Donut
Summary: A series of one-shots dedicated to Goku and his family. Inspired by balthezarian. [Hiatus]
1. Regret

This is a series of one-shots (inspired by **balthezarian**) dedicated to the Son family. There will be **no Goku-bashing** in this story, or any character-bashing for that matter.** I will not tolerate it.** Thank you.

I don't own Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, or Dragon Ball GT.

Time Period: Post-Buu Saga

...

Gohan smiled up at the clouds, his arms crossed relaxingly behind his head.

He liked this. No; he _loved_ having his family together as one. It felt good. _Really_ good.

Hearing his mother's screams being directed at his father again, seeing Goten's mile-wide smiles when Goku hugged him every morning, and watching his dad laugh about something silly reminded him just how much he missed having him home.

The demi-Saiyan never remembered seeing his brother and mother so happy in his life. Having his father back home meant the world to him, and knowing that the full-blooded Saiyan had been granted a life and being told that he was back for good made him want to cry; both on the inside and on the outside. He could feel the tears prick the corners of his eyes just thinking about it. Even though he promised himself he would never cry again, he couldn't help it. After all, he always was an emotional boy.

"Hey, son!"

Gohan blinked, his round black eyes filled with unshed tears. Quickly, he brought an arm up to shield his face. The last thing he needed was for his dad to see him crying. Had it been when he was younger, he wouldn't have minded, but he was practically an adult now. It was embarrassing.

"Hey, Dad," Gohan responded, resisting the urge to sniffle. _Great_, now his nose was turning red. Just what he needed.

Gohan could hear his father plop down next to him, the grass rustling against his blue casuals as he stretched himself out like a cat. At least he was lying opposite of him and not next to him. It made things all the more easier for Goku not to notice his puffy face.

"Why are you out here all by yourself?" Goku asked as he placed his hands behind his head, his eyes focused on the marshmallow-like clouds decorating the sky. It vaguely reminded him of the Otherworld, despite them not being yellow.

"I'm just thinking is all," Gohan answered, swiping his arm across his face before he placed his hand back behind his head, mimicking his father. He was pretty sure the tears were gone now. As were his red puffy eyes.

"Thinking about what?" Goku questioned, closing his eyes before taking a deep breath.

Gohan didn't want to outright say he was thinking about how nice it was to have his dad back, even though 100% of him didn't want to lie. His family didn't exactly tolerate lying. _Especially_ his father. The last time person who lied to Goku suffered both the silent treatment and no help in searching for the Dragon Balls for almost _two_ months. Not to mention said person needed assistance handling Vegeta. It was safe to say that Bulma _never_ lied to Goku again. She was even luckier that he had forgot about the entire thing.

Gohan took a deep breath.

"How nice it is...," Gohan paused, staring up at the clouds. _Having you back home._ "Seeing Goten happy. I haven't seen him this happy in a while." Gohan flinched. At least he didn't lie. He _had_ been thinking about that.

Goku hummed, a chuckle escaping his lips. "He has a lot of energy. Reminds me of myself when I was his age."

For awhile father and son basked in the afternoon sun, only the sounds of rustling leaves, chirping birds, and their faint breathing apparent. Gohan stared up at the sky, ebony orbs staring at nothing in particular. There had been a question plaguing his mind for the longest. He often found his thoughts lingering back to the day of the Cell Games, back to the day his dad gave his life away to save the planet Earth. He still, 'til this day, blamed himself for what had happened. Had he not toyed with the android, his father would've been home with him, his mom, and the new-born Goten.

But that wasn't what bothered him. Gohan was anything but the naive boy people thought he was. He could _never_ hate his father. Not even if someone forced him to. But he couldn't help but feel a little heart-broken at the fact that the full-blooded Saiyan chose to stay in Otherworld over being with his family. It plagued him to no end knowing that for seven years Goten grew up without a father and that his mother didn't have a husband, and that he himself sailed through his adolescent years without his dad around. Although it was true what his father had said - Goku had a knack for attracting trouble _anywhere_ he went - Gohan couldn't help but feel slightly bitter about the entire thing.

He just wanted to know one thing.

"Dad?" Gohan called.

"Hmm?" Goku answered, his eyes still closed.

Gohan pinched his lips together. "... Do you have any regrets?"

That made Goku open his eyes. "Regrets?" he asked, his round black eyes blinking back confusion.

Gohan stirred a bit, his deep blue training clothes crunching the grass beneath his body. "Yeah. Is there anything you ... ya know, wish you could take back or start over in your life?"

Again, an eerie silence enveloped the duo, increasing Gohan's anxiety. Before he could say 'forget I asked', Goku spoke.

"I regret not eating that last piece of chicken for dinner last night that's for sure," Goku said jokingly, even though he was dead serious. Despite the joke however, Gohan didn't laugh. It just wasn't funny. Not when his mind was being haunted by his father's absence all those years ago. "But honestly," Goku continued, positioning himself so that he was sitting upright in the grass, using his hands for support as he leaned back on his arms. "I regret dying. I missed seven years ... years ... that I can't get back."

Gohan felt his heart lurch. Oh Kami. The tears, they were coming back. And he couldn't stop them. He released a strangled sob as he brought his arm back up to shield his face.

Goku turned his head to glimpse over his shoulder, Gohan's quaking form shivering in the grass. "I'm sorry Gohan. For not being there for you. For not being there when Goten was born and growing up. For not being there for your mom. I know that an apology won't fix anything, but I truly am sorry for not being there. I figured that by me staying dead, things would've been safer for not only our family but the entire world. But apparently, I was wrong. Majin Buu was a testament of that."

Gohan couldn't control himself. Soon his entire arm was wet with sticky tears and slimy mucus. He felt as if a heavy burden was lifted off of his chest. All he ever really wanted was to know how his father felt about it. When he had told him that '_just because he was strong didn't mean he didn't need him_', he had meant every word of it. But to hear his dad apologize for what he did wrong (even though he didn't do anything wrong) and knowing that he regretted his decision made him extremely happy. It was an indescribable feeling. Gohan sobbed harder.

"You've turned into an extraordinary young man. I only wish that I could've been around to watch it happen," Goku continued, leaning back further as he basked in the warm rays of the sun. "Promise me you won't make the same mistakes I did, 'kay? When you have a family of your own, never leave them. Cherish them, _love_ them. I never wanted to make you, your mother or Goten feel as if I didn't love you. And, I want you to _stop_ acting as if my death was your fault. It was my own fault. I love you son. And ... I'm real proud of you. And I don't _ever_ want you to forget that. You're more of a man than I've ever bee-"

Goku was cut off by the abrupt tackle of his eldest son from behind. He could feel the teenager wrap his arms tightly around his body and pull him close, his body trembling like an earthquake. Goku froze, reminding himself of the time Gohan had left to fight Majin Buu on his own. When Gohan had hugged him, he had wanted nothing more than to hug him back. Hug him with every fiber of his being. But he knew that if he'd done that, he wouldn't have never found the heart to let him go.

Slowly, Goku wrapped his arms around his son, burying his face in Gohan's spiky black hair, a loving smile tugging at his lips.

"I love you too Daddy," Gohan cried in Goku's chest.

_Yeah_, Goku thought.

He definitely regretted it.

...

_Edit:_ 3/8/12

This is my take on how Goku felt about his absence between the Cell Games and appearance of Majin Buu.

Honestly, I don't peg Goku for being a bad parent. People keep calling him an absentee father, but due to the circumstances that plague the Earth, can you blame him for being away so much? Everything that he's ever done has been for his family, friends, and Earth. He's the most selfless person in the show, so he at least deserves to be selfish _sometime_! Plus, he pretty much grew up for the better part of his life raising himself, so where, exactly, was his father-figure? I wish that his friends would stop relying on him so much. He's just one person and even if he can do it by himself, I'm positive that Goku doesn't _want_ to do it by himself. This is his reasoning for leaving to train Uub; because there needed to be another savior of the Earth. Goku proved his point in the Buu Saga before his fight with Kid Buu. He will not be around forever and it's going to take more than just him to save the world all the time.

Sorry for the rambling there ... thanks for reading! :)


	2. Wrestling

Time Period: Post-Buu Saga

...

Goten wasn't the brightest crayon in the box, that much was certain. But staring at his mom and dad, watching them hug and play with each other all the time, made him wonder sometimes.

He often saw Videl and Gohan get all kissy kissy with each other, but they always tried to hide it. And even when they were caught, they would deny it and act as if nothing ever happened. Even if their faces made them look like tomatoes - really delicious tomatoes too.

It had been a fairly ordinary day. Gohan was at school, but had long since come back, only to leave _again_ to go out on a date with Videl. Although he swore to Kami that it wasn't a date. He told Goten to call it an 'extra curry circle active something', not that the little young half-Saiyan paid it any mind. He knew a lie when he saw one. Chi-Chi and Goku had only drilled it in his head a ton of times. Never tell a lie, no matter the circumstance. Even when someone was in potential danger, Goku and Chi-Chi never wanted them to result to lying. They preferred it if they not say anything at all.

They said liars are like scum, and no one wants to be scum.

Whatever _that_ is.

After Gohan had left the house, there was only Goten left, along with his parents, who vanished in and out of the kitchen every once in a while. Goten had been busy coloring his latest creation. It was a picture of him and his family, particularly Goku, who he could honestly say he captured perfectly, goofy hairstyle and all. He had been so busy that he completely missed the fact that his parents were coming in the kitchen, Chi-Chi glowing like a rainbow, and Goku smiling without a care in the world.

And it seemed as if they didn't notice him either.

"Goku," Chi-Chi tried to say seriously, although it was evident that she was being playful. "I have to cook dinner. I haven't gotten a single thing accomplished besides the laundry."

Goku hugged her from behind and nuzzled his face into the crook of his wife's neck, earning himself a startled squeak from the small woman. "But Chich," he whined affectionately. "It's been seven years. And...I really missed you."

Chi-Chi sighed wistfully as Goku began to lay butterfly kisses along her shoulder, leaning into her husband's unusual, yet sweet and tender caresses. "I missed you too," she said, turning to face him, allowing Goku to grasp her chin, pulling her in for a kiss. Unfortunately for the duo, they failed to notice that Goten, who had just finished his drawing a few seconds prior to Goku hugging Chi-Chi, was staring at them, his eyes squared together in deep concentration.

This was the fifth time he had caught them kissing and hugging in the kitchen, and without any shame or embarrassment like Gohan was with Videl. It was as if they were getting ready to wrestle or something as his Dad's ki kept spiking uncontrollably every time his mother came around. One look at her and he would get this look in his eye as if he wanted to jump her or something. Much like how Trunks looks at him when he accidentally breaks one of his favorite toys. And as Goten watched his parents get ready to wrestle, Goku pulling Chi-Chi close to his body and Chi-Chi clutching fist fulls of his dad's clothes, he couldn't help but pose a question.

"Mom? Dad?" Goten called from the table, his round black eyes staring innocently at the two adults.

They seemed to have frozen right on the spot as soon as they heard Goten's voice, particularly Chi-Chi, who blushed a deep blood red color. Immediately, she shoved Goku off of her as if he had the plague. To Goten, she looked as if she had done something that she really, _really_ wasn't suppose to. It reminded him of the time when he caught Aunt Bulma and Uncle Vegeta kissing in the washroom at Trunks' house. They hadn't let him come over for almost _two_ weeks because of it.

_"Didn't I tell you that I had to cook?"_ Chi-Chi scolded Goku in a shushed voice, her fists curled as if she were getting ready to hit him.

Goku smiled sheepishly at his wife, rubbing the back of his head as if nothing had ever happened. "Sorry Chich." The full-blooded Saiyan raised his eyebrows at his youngest son as he looked over to him. It was almost as if what he and Chi-Chi just did didn't exist or something. "What's up, Goten?"

Chi-Chi buried her hands in her face, berating herself in frustrated whispers as she stomped in the direction of the fridge located a few feet away from the table. Goten watched her with sparked interest, but slowly turned his head back to his dad, who was, again, looking at Chi-Chi with that _look_ in his eyes.

"How come you look at Momma like that?" Goten asked Goku, shaking the Super Saiyan out of his stupor. Chi-Chi paused in her diggings from the refrigerator, but quickly continued, her ears tuning in on her family's conversation. Hopefully this wasn't going in the direction she thought it was going in.

With a bewildered expression, Goku asked, "Like what?"

Goten twiddled with his drawing, glancing at his mother from the corner of his eyes. "Well ... you always look at her like you wanna beat her up. Or eat her sometimes. Did she do something wrong?"

"What are you talking about Goten?" Goku asked genuinely, confusion clearly evident in his voice, his ebony eyes trailing over to his wife, who looked as if she were about to have a seizure. "I never look at your mother like I wanna beat her up." Chi-Chi turned around, shakily looking at her son, then to her husband, who was, indeed, looking at her as if he wanted to eat her alive. Sometimes she really wished her husband wasn't so dense. Maybe then the situation - one that she had been trying desperately to avoid ever since Goku came back from Otherworld - wouldn't be as embarrassing.

Years of pent up emotions (rage, hurt, need, want, love, lust, etc.) had put Chi-Chi on edge ever since Goku had come back to Earth. She really did miss him; she missed him a lot. And she could tell that he had missed her, because goodness, the man acted as if he hadn't seen her in a millennium (although seven years is a pretty long time). She didn't think he'd be _that_ affectionate with her. There wasn't a time or place in the house that she could go without Goku pouncing her every five minutes. It briefly reminded her of the time he had been gone during that whole Frieza/Namek epidemic. Only this was much, _much_ more powerful.

Distance really does make the heart grow fonder, and Chi-Chi figured that seven years of being away from a loved one really could make a person do crazy things.

And Son Goku was no exception.

"You're doing it now," Goten pointed out innocently, catching Goku off guard. "Sometimes, when you and Mom are alone, I feel your energy go really, _really_ crazy. So crazy that I thought you were going_ Super Saiyan_. Do you and Momma fight a lot?" Goku opened his mouth to answer, but Chi-Chi quickly intervened. The last thing she needed to hear was Goku's lame attempt at explaining what they would do when they were alone. After what he told Gohan, she decided that her husband really wasn't fit to explain these types of things to _anyone's_ children, _especially_ his own.

"We don't fight Goten," Chi-Chi interjected, diverting her attention from her husband. Making eye contact with him would only make things worse, she mused. "Your father and I _never_ fight when we're alone." That was only part true. They argued ... Well, she fussed and he soaked it up like a sponge. But technically speaking, it wasn't fighting.

"How come you wrestle a lot?" Goten pushed onward.

"Wrestle?" Goku questioned. "We don't wrestle. Do we wrestle, Chi-Chi?" he asked, looking at her.

It was as if she were talking to a grown child! Chi-Chi wanted to die right on the spot. Before she could answer, however, Goten spoke up.

"Just a few minutes ago, you were getting ready to wrestle," Goten said, crossing his arms and nodding to himself. "You were huggin' Momma _really_ hard and she was pullin' at your clothes and stuff. I saw you do it another time when you told me to go get a glass a water for your throat, but when I came back she was moa-"

Immediately catching on to where his son was going, Goku raised his hands up defensively, his face burning. Chi-Chi merely stared, her face steaming red. "Goten, we _don't_ wrestle. Okay ... maybe we _do_ wrestle, but it's a _special_ kind of wrestle. One that only moms and dads do." Oh, why did his wife have to have a brain fart at a time like this! He should've listened to her the first time she told him she had to cook dinner! But no, he just had to let his raging ... _demon_ get the best of him. And now he was paying for it.

With raised eyebrows and piqued interest, Goten asked in amazement, "A special kind of wrestling? Is it more special than the Dragon Balls? Or Momma's homemade cheesy bread! Can I play! I love to wrestle! I wrestle with Trunks _all_ the time!"

"Goten," Chi-Chi said slowly, trying her very best not to look at her husband, although at that moment, she really wanted to chop him in his throat. Wrestling? Why, oh why, did she marry an idiot? "We _don't_ wrestle."

Slumping his shoulders, Goten whined, "You don't? But it looks like fun, and I really wanted to play."

"Of course we don't wrestle," Goku responded jubilantly. "We have se-"

"_Goku_!" Chi-Chi yelled before her husband could go any further. "You had better not finish that sentence!"

"But, why not?" Goku asked. "You said that if the indirect approach didn't work, give him the direct approach. I'm only doing what you said, remember?" This time Chi-Chi did look at her husband, and not with any affection or want or need and definitely not with love. And unfortunately, Goku had looked her square in the eye and Goten, being the innocently sharp kid that he was, didn't miss the _look_ that his dad gave his mom. _Again_. But instead of pointing it out - because he just saw Icarus through the window - he stood up from the table with his picture in hand.

"I know that you told me to never _ever_ talk back," Goten started, handing his picture to his mother. "But I can't _wait_ until I get to wrestle with you guys! And I'll make sure that I win too!" Goten said with the signature Son grin. "I'm gonna go play with Icarus now. Bye!" And with that said, the seven-year-old walked out of the house, closing the door gently behind him. Chi-Chi, who had been too flabbergasted to say anything, looked down at the picture her son just gave her, and without a second thought, promptly passed out on the floor, the picture slipping from her hands.

Goku, his attention now focused on his clocked out wife, ran over to her but not before snatching Goten's drawing from off the floor.

Well, Goku could honestly say that this drawing _definitely wasn't_ going on the fridge, for what was on the paper was Chi-Chi and himself - and was he a Super Saiyan? - _wrestling_ in all of their naked glory with Goten pointing at them, over his head in a jagged voice circle were the words 'I'll come out on top!'.

Master Roshi would be so proud...

...

_Edit_: 3/8/12

I'm sure we've all asked our parents - awkwardly I might add - about sex ... Unfortunately, I didn't learn about the Birds and Bees. Mom gave it to me hardcore.

**Seru-Chan **-Thanks so much for the review. :D I appreciate it and no problem. Whenever inspiration hits, look forward to more writing prompts.

Just in case you're wondering,** I accept ideas**. No lemons, limes, yaoi, or yuri. Thanks for reading.


	3. I'll Try

Time Period: Pre-Saiyan Saga

...

Eleven-month-old Gohan sat on the floor in his bedroom, his round black eyes staring at the colorful building blocks that were scattered in front of him. Goku sat in one of the two rocking chairs provided by Chi-Chi, his elbows propped up on his knees. With his chin in his hands, he watched his son with a keen eye.

It had been almost a year since he was first introduced to the_ 'scholar-to-be' _(as his loving wife liked to dub him), otherwise known as Son Gohan. He had remembered very clearly when his son didn't have a name. Out of all of those Kami-awful names that his father-in-law suggested, Ox-in-the-Box and Ox-Monkey were the ones that stuck out the most to him (and not because he thought they were good). It was a good thing that Gohan had burst into a fit tears after he finished the list. They were downright _terrible_. Goku figured that had he would've been in Gohan's place, he'd cried too.

Chi-Chi was no better. Einstein? Who was that guy anyway? Thankfully, Gohan had cried at that name too.

And then _he_ had to choose, but he was too hungry to answer at the time. He had one. And Goku thought it was a pretty awesome name too. One that he thought not many people had. Plus, it stuck out.

_Stewart_.

_Son_ Stewart.

It had a nice ring to it. Not too strange, not too ordinary. It was just right.

But then he had remembered when Chi-Chi had yelled at him for asking for some food first. Had it not been for the fact that she had mentioned his Grandpa Gohan's name during another one of her screaming fits, they would be saying 'Stewart' instead of 'Gohan'. But Goku didn't complain. 'Gohan' actually fitted the little man. And the fact that he giggled whenever it was mentioned was an A-Plus in his book.

Goku was so absorbed in his memories that he had failed to notice his son crawling over to him, his mouth forming what Chi-Chi referred to as his 'gummy bear smile', an orange-colored block in his hand.

With a goofy grin, Goku leaned forward on his knees. "Hey. What ya got there little man?"

Gohan, who had been like a train on tracks, came to a screeching halt in front of his father and looked up at him. Goku had been about ready to reach down to lift up his son, but felt his heart deflate when the little boy placed his building block right in front of him and bound off to the rest of his trinkets. Eyebrows raised, Goku knelt over to pick up the block that Gohan had left in front of him, only to look up and be met with eyes full of tears. And then it happened.

His son started to wail, almost as loud as Chi-Chi had been when she got really, _really_ mad at him for licking the icing off of that triple chocolate cake she made last week. Glancing at the doorway with fear laced in his eyes, Goku threw himself to the floor, his finger flying to his lips.

"Shh. _Shh_. It's okay, Gohan. Daddy's right here," he said in a hushed tone. "Just tone it down a little before Mommy comes. _Please_?" he begged when he noticed that the little boy's cries weren't lowering, but growing in volume. Gohan pointed to the block that was in his dad's hands causing Goku to look down at the toy. "You want this?" he asked, jiggling the cube near his son's face. Soon, Gohan's bawling was reduced to nothing more than blubbering sputters with a mixture of drool as he clumsily pried the toy from Goku's hand.

And as if right on cue, Chi-Chi came, standing in the doorway to Gohan's room, her burgundy apron decorated in powder. "What's wrong with Gohan? Is he alright? I heard him crying."

Goku fanned his hand, a nervous smile playing across his lips. "Nothing's wrong," Goku reassured his wife. "He's doing just fine. He was missing one of his building blocks is all." At least he didn't lie. Goku figured that things would play in his favor if he didn't tell Chi-Chi that _he_ had been the reason their son had just thrown a temper tantrum.

Chi-Chi smiled, much to Goku's relief. "Well, alright. But the next time he cries, you're coming out of here. Dinner will be ready in a few hours." And with that said, she exited the room, leaving Goku behind with his son. He released a deep sigh, tossing Gohan his signature grin.

"That was a _close_ one," Goku whispered jokingly, sitting on the floor near his son as the little boy went back to playing with his blocks. "Make sure you don't tell your mother that _I_ was the one who had your block, 'kay?" Gohan seemed to understand his father's words as he flashed the full-blooded Saiyan with another one of his semi-toothless smiles. And so for the next five to ten minutes, Goku sat on the floor and watched his son arrange and re-arrange his building blocks, his round black eyes focused solely on the orange one Goku had taken away from him earlier.

Goku couldn't help but stare at the little baby boy. If it weren't for the sharp nose, spiky black hair, and defining cheekbones, he could honestly say that he looked just like his mother. He had her piercing charcoal eyes and that deafening scream down pat. Staring at Gohan, Goku found his mind drifting to the day he was born. That had been his very first time seeing a baby being born. Having been on an abundant amount of adventures at a young age, Goku couldn't recall there ever being a time where he actually _saw_ an infant. Gohan had been the very first.

He was so small back then. Fragile even. He definitely filled out, eating darn near as much as he himself.

Goku often questioned himself in regards to his family, particularly his parenting skills.

Would he be a good enough parent? His grandpa had died while he was at a very young age so he pretty much grew up on his own until after he had met Bulma. And even then, there were periods of time in his life where he was still on his own, only the thrill of adventure there to keep him company. There were no parental figures in his life, so was he truly capable of taking care of a child? Could he even deem himself as being _worthy_ of being called a parent? A _dad_?

Chi-Chi often pointed out that she didn't want Gohan to be raised the way he did, not that he'd blame her or anything. Goku, when he actually thought about it, didn't want Gohan to grow up like him either - an orphan with no real parents to call his own.

Goku felt a slight tug on his pants leg, Gohan's cherubic face tilted to the side as he stared up at his father with those large black eyes.

"Huh?" Goku blinked confusedly, his elbows resting on his legs.

Gohan simply gave Goku another one of his grins as he crawled into the man's lap, resting his head against his stomach as he stared in front of him. Goku looked down, Gohan's head lifting up to return the look, and slowly Goku fixated his gaze on the building blocks that his son had been fooling around with earlier. He could feel a smile tug at his lips, and he looked back down, only to find his son's pretty ebony eyes still staring up at him.

With a grin, Goku lifted the boy up and turned him around so that they were facing one another.

"'_Dada_', huh?" Goku asked, earning himself a giggle from his son.

Goku leaned his forehead onto Gohan's, his grin still in place. "I may not have been raised like a normal boy should've been, but I _promise_ that for as long as I live, even after I die, to _try_ and be the _best_ father that I possibly can. Okay, little man?" Gohan's hands instantly latched onto his father's cheeks, his infantile giggles and Goku's cheerful laughter filling the room.

From the doorway, Chi-Chi watched, her heart swelling with nothing but love and affection for her boys.

And here her father was saying that it was too early to teach Gohan how to spell.

...

Requested by: **Gonstika**

_Edit_: 3/8/12

**Seru-Chan ** - Thanks so much for reviewing. At first I had a completely different image of an inappropriate picture in mind, but I figured that since Goten pointed out Goku's ki spiking to nearly Super Saiyan level that I just _had_ to have him draw that. Lol. Thanks for reading and reviewing.


	4. Night Out

Time Period: Pre-Saiyan Saga

...

"Daddy?" the four-year-old called, his feet swinging back and forth.

"Yes, son?" the man responded, his attention focused solely on the task at hand. "What is it?"

Gohan stared with the acuteness of a cougar getting ready to pounce its prey. He had been watching his dad for what felt like hours now, the man's eyes not _once_ acknowledging his presence. He wasn't worried as he knew the man knew that he was there. He was just very busy. So busy that Gohan felt that if he gained his attention, he'd get him in trouble. Much like how he did the last time. But his mind hadn't been worried about what would happen later. His only concern was on what his father had been doing for the past few hours.

The four-year-old took a while to find the right words to say as he ceased the swinging of his legs. "What are you doing?"

Goku paused in his work, his eyes darting to his son, who was sitting with perfect posture on the couch next to him, his tail swishing back and forth with each passing second. "Setting up for the night outside."

Tilting his head to the side, Gohan questioned innocently, "Really? Are you going camping?"

The tall man merely laughed at his son's question before he went back to packing his clothes in the small camping bag. "I wouldn't really call it camping, but I guess anyone would get the idea if they saw me packing up, huh?"

"Why are you packing clothes then?" Gohan pushed onward, his leg swinging starting back up again.

For the second time, Goku halted in what he was doing, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I'm spending the night outside."

With a confused expression, Gohan asked, "How come? Did the bed shrink again?"

Goku resisted the urge to howl out in laughter, but he held it back, zipping up his small knapsack after checking to see if everything was in place. "No, Gohan. The bed is perfect. I'm just sleeping outside for tonight is all."

"Oh," Gohan trailed off, his mouth forming an 'o' shape. For the next few minutes, father and son sat in silence, only the sound of rushing water pouring inside of the room from the kitchen. Then Gohan asked, "Are you going on another training trip?"

Shaking his head, Goku stood up from his place on the floor and took a seat on the couch next to his son. "I guess you can call it that."

A smile spread across the young boy's lips as he stared at his father in awe. "Cool! Can I come too, Dad?"

"I don't think so little man," Goku replied, slouching forward on his elbows as he propped himself up on his knees. "You know what your mother said."

Gohan's smile immediately deflated. That _definitely_ wasn't the answer he had been looking for. He was hoping for a 'yes' instead of a 'no'. He never understood why his parents didn't let him go anywhere. Sure, he was allowed to venture off into the forest to go play with some of the deer and squirrels, but that wasn't much fun, especially since he knew that there was much, _much_ more out there. For instance, he knew of the beautiful rushing waterfall his dad always took him to whenever they would sneak out of the house.

He also knew of the pretty lake that was just a ways off from the house. The little boy had seen his father train numerous amounts of times, ranging from two-fingered push-ups to practiced ki attacks (some of which his mom refused to let him learn). He hadn't seen the big deal in not learning any of what his dad was doing. His mother didn't even let him punch in the house. All she ever really let him do was study and ride the Flying Nimbus, but even that got a little boring after awhile. But none of that really mattered to him right now.

Why was his dad sleeping outside, he wondered. The last time he went outside was when ...

"Daddy, did you get in trouble?" Gohan asked, looking at the man whose eyes, that were once closed, were focused solely on him.

Goku chuckled. "What makes you say that?"

Slowly, Gohan started, his eyes casting shyly to his boots. "Well, the last time you slept outside, you and Mommy got into a fight and it was my fault 'cuz you sneaked me out of the house ... even after she told you not to, and ... and," he trailed off, sniffling, much to his father's amusement. Goku placed a hand on top of his son's head and ruffled his unruly black hair.

"Gohan, this isn't your fault. And to answer your question, yes. I'm in trouble." The young boy looked up to his father with glistening eyes, but was only met with a heart-warming smile. "Ya see, Gohan, Daddy did something he wasn't suppose to do. Something really, _really_ bad that I don't _ever_ want you to do."

Said boy gasped at his father's confession. "_Really_? Did you let another wild hog into the house?"

Goku shook his head.

"Did you forget to tell Mommy that she was the prettiest person in the whole wide world?"

Goku shook his head again, flashing his son with his signature grin, his eyes darting to the doorway. He knew that his wife was listening in on their conversation as she had been from the very beginning, but he wouldn't let Gohan know that. "I'd _never_ forget to tell your mother how pretty she is."

Gohan put a finger to his lip to think, his eyes immediately widening. "Did you eat my homework again because you thought it was fonda ... fondu ... fondant?"

Goku, again, shook his head, his smile increasing ten-fold. He remembered _that_ clearly. He had been particularly hungry that day, Gohan's reading book resembling that sweet, chewy stuff that had been on his and Chi-Chi's wedding cake. Goku would never forget the taste. "No, son."

"Can you?" Gohan asked, meeting his father's gaze once again.

The man burst into laughter at his son's question. He looked back to see if his wife was still standing in the door, and that she was, one hand covering her mouth as she tittered quietly, the other one on her hip. "No, Gohan, I can't. How else are you gonna become a scholar if I eat your homework?"

Gohan pouted at his father's question. That was a good point, but still ... "I did something much, _much_ worse than letting animals into the house and eating your homework."

"What did you do?" the little boy asked, his hands placed on his lap.

"Daddy lied to Mommy, Gohan," Goku answered honestly, earning a gasp from his son.

"Wow! _Really_!" Gohan exclaimed, but then a small frown made its way onto his face. "But I thought we were never, ever, _ever_ suppose to tell a lie."

Goku nodded, a proud smile tugging at his lips. "And you're right, Gohan. We're not suppose to lie. But Daddy did it anyway and now Mommy's _super_ upset."

"But if we're never, ever, _ever_ suppose to tell a lie, why did you do it?" Gohan asked.

Goku gave his son a sullen expression. "Because your old man was afraid of what your mother would've done to him if he told her the truth. See, Gohan, when two people get married, they form a special bond, more special than anything and the things that hold that bond together are sacred. And one of those sacred things is honesty."

"But I thought you were the bestest, most strongest, most _honestful_ person in the whole wide universe!" Gohan blurted with all of the tenacity of a four-year-old. "What did you lie about?"

"Am I really all of that?" Goku asked his son, who nodded vigourously.

"While I can't tell you what I lied about, at least not right now, I'll let you in on a little secret." He leaned in, cupping a hand over Gohan's ear and whispered just loud enough for Chi-Chi to hear. Gohan nearly bounced with excitement. "Tell Mommy that Daddy says that he's really sorry. Tell her that Daddy thinks that she's the prettiest, most beautiful woman he's ever seen in his entire life, and that he's sorry for lying to her. Also, he wants you to plant a big, giant kiss on her cheek. And tell her that Daddy loves her, okay? And that he'll see her in the morning."

His wife cleared her throat from the doorway that connected the kitchen to the den, interrupting the father-son moment. Gohan and Goku turned towards Chi-Chi, who had both hands on her hips, her facial expression containing nothing but warmth, although that wasn't to be taken lightly. Goku merely laughed, rubbing the back of his head, before he looked back down at his son. Goku nudged the young boy gently in the side, earning himself a small squeak.

Gohan giggled into his hands as he jumped off of the couch and bounded happily towards his mother. And as Gohan did this, Goku gathered his bearings and watched with a keen eye.

"Mommy," Gohan giggled as he tugged on her apron.

"Yes, Gohan?" Chi-Chi asked, her eyes never leaving her husband's. "What is it?"

"Daddy told me to tell you something," he tittered. "But it's a secret."

"Oh?" she feigned shock. "And what did he want you to tell me that's _so_ secret?" she asked her son, who gestured for her to kneel down so that he could tell her.

Cupping his hands around her ear in the same fashion as his father just did him, Gohan tried to whisper, "Daddy said that 'he's really sorry'. He thinks you're the prettiest, most beautifulest woman he's ever seen in his life, and that he's 'real, real' sorry for lying to you. He loves you a whole whole lot and that he'll see you in the morning," he said, removing his hands from around her ear.

Chi-Chi fixed her husband with a loving gaze as he did her, but she was halted in her stare when she felt Gohan pull on her apron again. Before she could question what he wanted, Gohan planted a very large, very slobbery kiss on her cheek.

"From Daddy to Mommy," Gohan grinned.

The woman of the house didn't have time to think, as her husband was already in front of her before she could react. For awhile, they simply stared at one another, but Goku broke their gaze, his charcoal eyes darting to his son as he placed a hand on top of the young boy's head.

"Good job, Gohan," Goku laughed out. "Although, you really gotta work on that whisper. Promise me for as long as your name is Son Gohan that you'll never, ever, _ever_ tell a lie."

Extending his pinky finger, Gohan looped it around his father's much larger one, returning Goku's laugh with one of his own. "Promise! Bye-Bye, Daddy. I hope you learn your lesson. See you in the morning."

Goku looked up to his wife, his pinky still looped with his son's. Chi-Chi couldn't help the daunting smile that played on her face, but despite everything that her husband just did (and said), she nodded towards the exit.

"Time to go, buddy," she said, never breaking eye contact.

Goku merely laughed at his wife, unhooking his finger with Gohan's, who immediately latched onto his mother's pants leg. "I'll see you in the morning, honey."

...

Requested by: **Gonstika**

_Edit_: 3/8/12

**Seru-Chan** - Yeah, Goku doesn't fulfill that promise. D: Which was why I had him say that he'd _try_ and be a good parent despite the fact that he didn't really have any himself. And I guess that the chapter could correspond to the first chapter in a way since Goku apologized for not being there as he should've been. :D If you have a request, fire away. I'm open-minded. I've been wanting to incorporate some of the other characters anyway. Lol. Thanks for reading and reviewing.


	5. Floating on Flying Nimbus

Time Period: Pre-Saiyan Saga

...

"Do you think it's safe? I mean, he's only three-years-old. What if he gets hurt? What if he falls through? Are you sure he's ready?"

Goku fixed his wife with a lop-sided grin as he listened to her already high-pitched voice rise an octave higher in a bout of frantic cries. Seriously, she was such a worry-wart. She worried even more than Bulma _did_ when they couldn't get their hands on a Dragon Ball from when they were younger.

_Women_, Goku thought. Such a mystical being; almost as mystic as Kami. Goodness, he'd never understand them.

Goku put one hand to his hip and the other on Chi-Chi's shoulder. Immediately, she halted in her panic and turned to face her husband, her eyes laced with uncertainty.

"You worry too much, Chi-Chi," Goku said, nodding his head towards their son, who was crouched over in the grass, thoroughly engaged in a one-sided conversation with 'Mr. Budderby' that sat perched on one of the many patches of flowers that framed their country-side home, his brown appendage flicking back and forth. "Gohan isn't going to get hurt. Besides, you have to be pure of heart to ride it, and I'm _positive_ that Gohan doesn't have a single bad bone in his body."

"But," the housewife said, gnawing her bottom lip. "Are you sure? I mean, you haven't ridden the Nimbus in a long time. I just want you safe, especially Gohan."

Goku's eyes softened as he looked into his wife's face, and he graced her with a smile, leaning his forehead onto hers and allowing their noses to touch. "If it makes you feel any better, how 'bout you ride with us?"

Her face flushed red in embarrassment as she pushed her husband back, her hands curling up in front of her chest defensively. "_Not in front of Gohan_!" she scolded in a half-whisper, half-shout, earning herself a ring of laughter from her husband. Her eyes trailed to their son, who was still (and quite jubilantly) chattering away to the blue-green insect that sat on the daisies in a bout of broken words and phrases.

"Well," Goku said, gaining his wife's attention once more, his hand in a contemplative position as he racked his brain. "If _you_ don't want to ride and you don't want _Gohan_ to ride, how 'bout we test it before he rides it?"

"Test it?" Chi-Chi asked, her eyebrows raised. "How?"

Goku nodded his head, extending a finger to his wife as he leaned forward. "We put Gohan on top of the Nimbus, and if he falls through then I won't take him for a ride."

Chi-Chi frowned at this and crossed her arms. "So, you're saying he'll fall on the ground?" Goku sighed, but he gave his wife a soft smile.

"That's not what I'm sayin'," he replied. She signaled for him to continue, and Goku gestured to the flower bed where Gohan and the butterfly was. "You can lie on that bundle of flowers right there, and I can have Nimbus float right above you; so if Gohan falls through, you can catch him."

"Why do I have to lie on the ground?" she asked him, her hands flying to her hips.

"I can lie on the ground then, and you can put Gohan on the Nimbus," he answered hastily, his hands shielding his frame in a defensive manner. "Look, Chich. Does it really _matter_ who lies on the ground?"

Chi-Chi scoffed at her husband and pointed an accusatory finger at him, one hand on her hip. "Well, of _course_ it does! I just washed the stains out of your clothes yesterday because you can't seem to keep them clean for _five_ seconds. And I'm not lying on the ground, Goku. There's all kinds of germs down there."

"Chi-Chi," Goku said, rubbing the back of his head, a nervous chuckle bubbling from his throat. "You're making this difficult. If I _can't_ lie on the ground and you _won't_ lie on the ground, then what should we do?"

Chi-Chi put her hands to her hips and graced her husband with a haughty smile. "Lucky for you, I have the perfect idea. Give me a second," she told him before she skirted inside of their house.

As soon as Goku was sure his wife was out of sight, he released a deep-rooted sigh before walking next to Gohan. Ever since the little guy had been born, Chi-Chi had been like an iron-clad warrior, fussing over every little thing that didn't pertain to reading, writing, and (dear, Kami) _math_. If it wasn't a textbook, then it wasn't worth learning.

Goku didn't blame her though, although some part of him vied to allow his son to engage in the things he liked to do. It didn't necessarily _have_ to be fighting, although a part of him wanted to teach him at _least_ the basics. It could simply be camping, or, like now, riding the Nimbus. Ladies were so hard to please; Goku vaguely wished that his grandpa would've taught him _that_ instead of saying "be nice to girls" because this particular "girl" was an entirely different case; one that should be labeled as _extreme_.

The warrior squatted down to his son's height, his arms crossed over his chest. Gohan, who had been so absorbed in his conversation with "Mr. Budderby", turned to his father with a broken smile, his two front teeth playing "peek-a-boo" in his mouth. "Hi, Daddy."

"What's up, little man," Goku said. "Who's your friend?"

Gohan tittered into his hands, extending his index finger to the flower and allowed the butterfly to walk on it in a series of slow steps. Carefully, he cradled the creature in his hands before presenting it to his father. "Dis is my fwind, Mr. Budderby. Mr. Budderby, dis is my Daddy. Say "hi"."

As if understanding the boy's words, the butterfly flapped its wings. Gohan giggled. "Now you say "hi", Daddy."

Goku, who decided to please his son, leaned in towards the butterfly, and instead of sending his normally carefree greeting with a slight wave of his hand and a smile, he did the complete opposite and flapped his ears, his face betraying nothing short of a goofy grin. Gohan barked in laughter at the sight, his tail wagging in unison; unfortunately, this act frightened the butterfly, who sprouted its wings and took flight from Gohan's hands, landing on Goku's nose.

Gohan laughed harder, pointing to his father with one finger as his other hand laced around his stomach; Goku blinked in bewilderment.

"What's going on out here?" Chi-Chi asked, shutting the door behind her while she carried a basket full of bed sheets and pillows. Goku turned from his son, who was still giggling away, to his wife.

"Daddy's silly," Gohan exclaimed, racing over to his mother. "He was playin' wit Mr. Budderby. I think dey like each oder."

"Is that so?" Chi-Chi asked, giggling at her husband, who had just sneezed, scaring the butterfly off into the sky. Gohan waved good-bye to his friend before turning his attention to his mother, who had walked over to place the basket full of bed spreads on the patch of flowers.

Curiously, Goku joined his son to stand next to his wife and peered into the basket. "What's this for?"

"Well, since neither of us are gonna lie on the ground to catch our son if he falls, I put the softest bed items we have in this so he won't get hurt." Goku stared at the basket for what felt like hours, but he didn't dare speak. As silly as he thought his wife was being at the moment, he didn't have the guts to tell her so. Gohan tugged on his father's orange pants, his head tilted in befuddlement. With raised eyebrows, Goku directed his attention to his son.

"Daddy, why did Mommy get a basket?"

Goku crouched to his son's level with a grin. "'Cuz, little man, Mommy wants to play a game."

"A game?" Gohan asked, his head tilted to the side in confusion. "But I dot Mommy didn't like us to play wit laundwy."

Chi-Chi nodded her head in agreement, her hands flying to her hips as a smile graced her lips. "And you're 100% correct, sweetheart. But, we're gonna break the rules just this once, because Mommy wants to make sure her baby is safe." She looked to Goku, whose smile couldn't possibly get any wider than what it already was. "What?" she asked.

Goku shook his head and barked out in laughter. "Jeez, Chich. I never thought you'd actually go through with this."

"And just what's _that_ suppose to mean?" she questioned with raised eyebrows.

"Nothing. Just that," Goku replied, leaning forward as he nuzzled his nose against his wife's. "I think it's _great_ that you're letting me do this with Gohan."

Again, Chi-Chi, flabbergasted by her husband's affectionate gesture, shoved him away from her, her cheeks tinting pink in embarrassment. Before she could get a word out about how "obscene" his behavior was, she was cut off by the abrupt shout of Goku, who had yelled out "Flying Nimbus" at the top of his lungs. At first, silence filled the air, the subtle winds caressing the forestry with its gentle touch whilst the birds sang their songs. No sooner had Goku called out to his faithful companion, had the mystical object appeared, leaving in its path a blazing golden trail. Goku found himself grinning from ear-to-ear as the Nimbus landed in front of him with its loud "put-put".

"Nimbus, how's it going!" he blared, placing a hand on its back. Gohan, who had been watching the entire event, hid behind his mother's leg and shielded his face, listening to the one-sided conversation that his father was having with the cloud. Chi-Chi placed a gentle hand on his head, a soft smile framing her lips.

"It's okay, Gohan. It won't hurt you," she told him.

Goku grinned, his acute hearing picking up on what his wife just said, and he turned towards his family. "Gohan, I'd like you to meet a very good friend of mine. I've known 'em since I was a little boy and so now I want you to meet 'em. This," he said, gesturing towards the golden puff. "Is the Flying Nimbus."

"Nice to meet you," Gohan greeted, bowing his head shyly with flushed cheeks. Nimbus bounced in enthusiasm, cutting a small circle in the air for emphasis.

"See, Chich," Goku said. "Nimbus likes him already. Now can we go?"

"Not so fast, buster," Chi-Chi interjected, pointing to the basket of bed spreads in the patch of flowers. "You promised to test it before Gohan goes with you. I don't want our son going anywhere if he's gonna be falling through inanimate objects like some sort of crazy sky diver."

Goku sighed, slumping his shoulders in the process, but he didn't disagree (even if he didn't make that promise). "Gohan, remember when I said that a pure heart never falters?"

Gohan bobbed his head and flashed his father a toothy smile. "Yes! I wemember, Daddy."

"Well, this fella right here can test that, and you wanna know how?" Gohan nodded his head again, his eyes wide in wonder; Goku laughed. "The Nimbus only lets those with a pure heart ride 'em. If you have a pure heart, you can sit on 'em. But, if you don't, you'll fall straight through and hit the ground."

"The basket, Goku. Not the ground," Chi-Chi corrected him, her eyes flashing in mirth.

"Right. Anyway," he continued, crouching down to his son's height. "I was planning on taking you for a ride on the Nimbus with me today, but we can't do that 'cuz we haven't tested to see if your heart is pure."

Gohan looked to his mother, then to his father, his mouth wide with amazement. "So I hafta take a test?"

Goku and Chi-Chi nodded their heads. "Yes," Chi-Chi answered with a smile. "And if you pass, your father will take you for a ride in the countryside. So, do you want to try it?"

Gohan turned his attention to the golden cloud that was now hovering over the laundry basket. Being the three-year-old child that he was, he couldn't help but stare at the object in awe. It wasn't touching the ground! He had only ever seen his father fly one time, but the memory was so vague that he had almost forgotten about it. And now, to see an actual cloud, gold in color and not stuck in the sky like a sticky note, floating right in front of his face with no strings attached ... it was amazing! Gohan flashed his parents a large smile and waltzed up to the cloud, standing on his toes as he rubbed it.

"Hi, Nimbus. My name is Son Gohan," he stated. In return, the Nimbus nuzzled against his cheek and the young boy giggled.

"Can we go now, Chi-Chi?" Goku asked his wife. She flashed him a look and the warrior pouted. "Are you ready, Gohan?" Before the young boy had time to answer, Goku (impatiently) had already lifted him up in his arms, promptly interrupting his conversation with the cloud, and ever so gently, Goku placed their son on top of Nimbus. Chi-Chi stared, her hands clamped together near her heart as she watched with halted breath. Goku stood with his hands on his hips and turned to flash his wife a cheeky grin.

"See? Didn't I tell ya that Gohan was pure?"

Chi-Chi pouted her lips slightly, but it melted into a smile. "A promise is a promise. You can take Gohan with you. But had you _better_ be back before lunch."

"I have a better idea." Goku, whose grin never faltered, turned back to his son, who had his face nuzzled into the cloud's back, and leaned near his ear and began to whisper. Chi-Chi's eyebrows furrowed, and she watched with curiosity as Gohan sat up and turned towards her, a smile slowly creeping on his lips. Goku had done the same, hopping on Nimbus's back as he pulled Gohan into his arms.

Without a second thought, Goku had latched onto his wife's wrist and snatched her into his lap.

"_Goku_! What are you doi-" and a screamed erupted from her throat as the cloud hovered into the sky and took off in a flash of light, Gohan's giggles bubbling throughout the sky.

...

Requested by: **Gonstika**

I borrowed the name of this chapter from a song called "Floating on Cloud Nine". Sorry that I haven't exactly updated this. D: Inspiration is so hard to come by these days! But still, I hope you enjoyed this. I'll try getting the next request out soon, but that's not a promise. If you don't like it, let me know. This isn't exactly my best and I admit, this could've been a _lot_ better. But still, just let me know and I can try it again.

**Mew** - :O I actually had planned on making that a one-shot. The first Goten story was suppose to be about that, but it wasn't coming out right, but I'll definitely attempt it again. I love Goten to death! Thank you for reading and reviewing.


	6. Reunited

_prompt_ - Gohan is graced with the presence of a man he thought he'd never see again.

_characters_ - Mirai Goku, Mirai Gohan

...

Gohan blinked back a mixture of blurriness and confusion that clouded his eyes, his nostrils flaring as he took a deep breath.

"Dead?" he thought aloud, his rough voice filling his ears as his stern irises drifted away from the orange fluff that decorated the otherworldly sky. He allowed his eyes to drift shut, but they quickly rushed open when he felt the weight of a familiar limb hanging on his right, and he gasped.

"Yeah ... I'm _definitely_ dead," he chuckled bitterly to himself as he clenched and unclenched his fists, staring at his hands in both bewilderment and amazement. _Damn androids_, he thought with another rotten smile, turning his head sharply as he prepared to walk off.

Just as quickly as Gohan prepared to walk off did he feel a presence close in on him, and with the efficiency and training of a Super Saiyan warrior, he faced the direction of what he could only deduce was an enemy and struck, his right hand curled into a tight fist. Nearly two decades of living in pure hell caused him to be on edge and being dead - whether it was for a minute or not - did nothing to quench his feelings of uneasiness.

"_Whoa_!" a powerful voice boomed as Gohan's fist was caught in an equally powerful hand.

Gohan's piercing ebony orbs went from narrowed slits to widened balls of surprise as the image of someone he thought he'd _never_ see filled his senses, catching him off guard.

"Just as powerful as ever I see," Goku joked, his hand still curled around Gohan's fist, although not as tight as it was before. "Been doin' a ton of trainin' while I was dead or _what_? You're giant!"

Gohan's vision blurred just as easily as he wiped it away a minute ago, vivid memories of his kiddish self shedding tears of pain, hurt, and so much more over the death of his father filling his senses at full force. He could almost feel himself clutching onto dear life on his father's cold hands by his bedside, begging and pleading for him to come back and cursing the universe's most powerful man for succumbing to something as stupid as a heart virus!

When Goku didn't receive an answer, he simply burst into a round of his loud, albeit infectious laughter, revealing two sets of pearly teeth. "'Course you have kiddo!" the oblivious warrior exclaimed. "King Kai told me to head over here 'cuz he said somethin' 'bout meetin' someone I haven't seen in a long time. I had no idea who he was talkin' 'bout, ya know? King Kai loves to talk in riddles ... and his jokes have been gettin' _really_ terrible lately," Goku muttered that last part to himself before laughing again. "It's probably just 'cuz I don't think his jokes are funny or somethin' ... but then again, no one does."

Gohan found himself uttering a word long since forgotten, cutting his father off in his thoughtless babble. "D-Daddy?" he stuttered, his tears promptly sliding down his cheeks like a massive waterfall. "_Daddy_!" He hadn't care that he was an adult or that it was embarrassing as hell to call an equally grown man by such an affectionate and childish title of endearment; all that mattered was that he finally, _finally _reunited with his father again.

No sooner had he uttered those words did he jerk his fist away from Goku's curled hand and bury his face into the man's orange gi, soaking his shirt with tears.

Goku, taken by surprise at his son's outburst as well as his hug, smiled affectionately, his burly arms wrapping around the man-child's back as he hugged him just as close and buried his face in Gohan's shortened, black tufts of wild hair.

Gohan shook painfully, his heart clenching as he clutched onto dear life of his father's gi, almost as if he'd lose him again if he ever let him go.

"I-it was awful!" Gohan sobbed into his father's shirt. "The androids ... they killed everyone! It was only me and Mom and Bulma and Trunks! There was nothing we could do, and I was left by myself to protect Mom and Bulma and Trunks and the Earthlings! I-I tried to stop them, but they were too strong. I was trying ... trying to protect Trunks, but I ... but I couldn't and I-I wasn't strong enough and it was ..." Gohan wasn't able to finish his sentence as he cried harder into his father's shoulder. "I'm so glad I can see you; I've missed you _so_ much," he sobbed.

Goku closed his eyes, a loving smile etching onto his lips. "You've been through a lot," Goku whispered warmly, patting his son's back. "I wish I could've been there to help you. You're strong, Gohan," the warrior continued. "To endure all that pain and torment on your own. I used to watch you and your mother all the time, ya know? I can't imagine the pain you must've felt, but I'm proud of you," Goku said. "And your mother might be upset that you died, but I'm positive that she's proud of you too. But it's okay ... I'm here for you."

Gohan curled his fists tighter around his father's gi, choosing to remain silent lest he wind up rambling again, and for what felt like an eternity, they stood there, arm in arm, the emotional boy that Gohan thought he'd left behind resurfacing as his tears soaked his father's shirt.

...

Not even gonna lie, I damn near cried when I wrote this. I can't imagine what sort of reunion Goku and Gohan had when they met up in the Otherworld. And I _definitely_ can't imagine poor Chi-Chi's reaction to it all. She looked so _stressed_ in the special and I'm quite sure she passed off shortly when she found out about Gohan's death.

This was originally gonna go in my drabble collection "Sonset", but I changed my mind. It's much more fitting this way. Goten was suppose to have this chapter to himself, but Gohan ... I just had to write this.


	7. On the Air

_prompt_ - Piccolo wonders just how sane he was when he agreed to stay with the Sons.

_characters_ - Goku, Piccolo

...

Irritation seemed to radiate off of Piccolo like waves and Goku wasn't making it any better. With his constant questions, back-to-back like a man at one of those auctions that Gohan forced him to watch yesterday, prodding and begging and poking for answers that no one wanted to answer … Piccolo was starting to question whether or not it was a good idea for him to stay at the Son household for three years.

He couldn't handle the pressure of being berated by that loud, nagging housewife with the shrill voice. He couldn't handle Gohan's constant mood swings, the same mood swings that caused him hell more than a few years ago before he had even considered making friends with the enemy. And he definitely couldn't handle the pressure of being harassed both mentally and physically, by one loud mouth son of a Saiyan by the name of Son Goku.

To be caused such discomfort to the degree where he wanted to _murder_ said Saiyan in cold blood was not healthy. He hadn't wanted to kill Goku for a very long time, not since his equally loud mouth son had befriended him (and pretty much persuaded him not to), but that didn't mean that the thought wouldn't appear from time to time, especially when that aggravating idiot annoyed him. Piccolo briefly wondered if his father's dark thoughts were taking over his mind again.

Piccolo paid no heed to the thought, swiping a large green hand at the tanned, muscular one buzzing near his head.

"Aw, come on, Piccolo!" Goku whined, curling his hands behind his back with an innocent smile. "I just wanna know! It wouldn't hurt to tell me, huh?"

Piccolo shoved Goku away from him, resisting that sick and twisted urge to swing. At least maybe then he'd get the point that he didn't want to be bothered. If weren't for Chi-Chi - curse that damn woman - and her obvious position as ruler of the household, he'd be training with Gohan far, _far_ away from this place. But no; he was stuck with Goku - of all people - while Gohan was forced to study one of those absurd advance mathematics booklets that, yet _another_ one of their annoying family members had brought to the house not too long ago. Piccolo didn't know how much more he could take of this!

And to think, it's only been _two_ days!

"For the last time Goku, I _don't_ want to talk about it, now back off before I _make_ you back off." Piccolo growled as he crossed his arms.

Goku, not one to take no for an answer, swung on his toes with just the hint of a pout. It was obvious that he wasn't going to listen, but Piccolo, being the stubborn Demon Prince that he was, was not going to succumb to the idiocy that was Son Goku.

"If I were Gohan, you'd answer my question."

_Bingo_.

As if on cue, Piccolo turned his head sharply to the side, baring his fangs as a rosy tint tickled his cheeks. He curled his fists, unlocking his arms from each other as he brought them to his sides, fuming with nothing short of humiliation. That was absurd!

"I- That- You- Dammit, Goku! Why can't you just let it go!?"

"'Cuz …," the Saiyan trailed off, kicking the dirt outside of his house with a lazy foot, "Chi won't stop botherin' me 'bout it."

"We should be training! Not wasting time on trivial conversations about cable or any variation of the word!"

Goku shook his head. "Chi-Chi cares! And you already _know_ how she gets when we spend too much time away from the house! 'Sides, we can't train anyway 'cuz Gohan is studyin' and if I try to sneak 'em out, I'll get an _earful_! Do you know how _bad_ it is gettin' hit upside my head with a skillet _and_ gettin' yelled at at the same time!?"

_"Fine_!" the demon barked, clearly embarrassed, if only to get this damn moron off his back before he really succumbed to his father's death wish and kill Goku _again_, only this time with a Masenko to the head. "What was your question!?"

Goku's smile did not disappoint as he grabbed hold of Piccolo's antenna (_again_) and asked with enthusiasm crawling in his voice, "Can you pick up T.V. reception? And can you get wi-fi too? 'Cuz Chi-Chi's been _beggin_' me to get cable!"

Piccolo frowned, folding his arms across his chest again as he directed his gaze to the open window of the Son household, clearly making out the form of that damn housewife, who stirred a pot of broth a little _too_ innocently. Funny, Piccolo thought. He never remembered that window being opened. While Goku prattled on and on about how cool antennas were and how he wished he could've been born with them and how neat it must be to have two pairs of ears with razor sharp hearing and some other dumb thing that _always_ came out Goku's mouth, Piccolo couldn't help the glare that settled onto his face when he saw Chi-Chi grin that snark little grin of hers.

Someone was going to die tonight.

"Hey, Piccolo, you never answered my question," Goku said, pulling at his antenna with that same innocent smile from before.

Yes, someone was definitely going to die. Piccolo would make sure of it.

...

Okay, first thing's first - I'm not dead! I'm working on Chapter 9 of Just Married like hell! I'm just really ... not feeling like myself, as in no urge to write (writer's block), school, work, financial instability, the works. If you want the full story, check out my profile. Oh, and drop me a line on tumblr - link's in my profile. I'm always available, 'kay? Thanks for reading and apologies for the two month hiatus. :)


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